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TV And Texting

Tablets and smartphones are making TV an even more enjoyable experience, but the industry is only scratching the surface to take advantage of this new trend.
Yesterday I wrote an article on a Pew Internet Research study that indicated the number of people who interact with the show they are watching via a smartphone or tablet is growing.
This is a trend to which I can personally attest as my 10-year-old watches Dancing with the Stars surrounded by our families three cellphones and the landline so she can vote as many times as possible for her current favorite.
The other popular action is to text friends about a show that each is watching, something I am guilty of doing.
It’s hard to resist sending a text to a Phillies fan, say TWICE’s Managing Editor John Laposky, when the Mets are beating his team. Of course, being on the receiving end of those texts is not as much fun.
When Johan Santana pitched the Mets’ first no hitter my phone lit up with texts. To share such a huge moment immediately with friends made the event so much more enjoyable.
I’m surprised TV executives have not taken greater advantage of the Internet. Sure, they post episodes and every show has a website with extra facts about the show, but outside of reality TV not much is going on.
I think sports would certainly lend itself to more interaction. If there is one thing, besides politics, that people love to argue about its sports. I could envision a heavily edited scroll along the bottom of the screen or a board accessible via a website. I think the announcers could even answer some fan questions that way too.
I have seen this done every now and then with Mets games, but I think such interaction is coming and it would be wise for the networks to get ahead of the curve. The increasing popularity of SmartTV is only going to give this trend a boost.